I swallowed my scream. I didn’t recognize him. His khaki chinos and button down complemented his neatly parted blond hair. His bright blue eyes twinkled mirthfully. My eyes roamed over his large frame. Werewolf for sure, especially considering with the way he walked. His gait had a predatory look. I to be strong in front of him, or else he’d sense weakness.
I turned back to the window, showing him I didn’t find him a threat.
He tsked behind me.
“It’s nice enough. I prefer color during my falls,” I said.
“Autumn,” he corrected.
I rolled my eyes but didn’t turn toward him. I didn’t like the feeling of alertness he had on my wolf. She was standing, wrapped in my magic. Her defensive posture made me feel twitchy. I felt him get closer. His muggy breath was on my neck making me cringe.
“Not my name,” I said trying to get a rise out of him. I knew what he was correcting me.
“Very funny, Colette, I know you’re name.”
He bent down and his head was next to mine. I didn’t like his proximity. I let out a warning growl. He let out a laugh and I scooted away.
“Would you care to go outside?”
My head snapped in his direction. I thought for sure he was playing a joke on me.
“Who are you?” I demanded.
“Jackson’s beta, Vance,” he looked me right the eye. I knew what he was doing. Under normal conditions, I would do the polite thing and submit. Instead I kept eye contact with him. It wasn’t until Vance’s eyes flashed yellow and he bared his teeth at me that I hesitated. There was no reason for me to submit to him, he had no real power over me. Instead I lowered my eyes because it was the smart thing to do. Lead him to believe I was weak enough I had to do as he asked.
“Now would you like to go outside?” Vance asked again.
I looked back outside. It was the only thing I wanted besides getting out here.
“Yeah.”
Vance held out his hand. I looked at like it was going to bite me. I didn’t want to take it, but I knew that I had to. It was starting to feel like I would never be able to get out of here. I never had time to plan, and after “training” I was always too exhausted. I took his hand to appease him, and we headed out of my room. I wondered why Aradia would allow Vance a beta – who didn’t seem very powerful – to take me outside. I just knew that even if I had the chance to escape today, I couldn’t take it. There was more going on here than just had to do with me. I had to find out what Aradia’s plan was. She didn’t want witches and weres to suddenly get along. She spoke of weres when they weren’t around like they were trash.
Aradia lied about being the protective loving mother she claimed to be. Patricia made that painfully clear when she revealed that Aradia needed my powers unbound in order to track me. I didn’t know if Aradia kept the façade going to play the doting mother. Maybe she was trying to cover up for what Patricia said. Or not. If she wanted to find me so badly, she could have, years ago. There were so many things I didn’t know and had yet to find out.
I tried to slip my hand from Vance’s tight grasp while we walked, but he didn’t let go. I didn’t like the feel of his skin against mine. His hands were soft, but his skin made mine crawl.
Vance walked a steady pace. I wanted to run. The promise of outside was too much for me. It was exciting and gave me more energy than I had since arriving. But Vance was taking so long and I was sure that Aradia would come steal this small pleasure away from me. The only time I really got to be outside was when I was moved to sickness by Aradia’s revelations. I hardly remembered it. Just those words repeating in my head.
Vance kept tugging me back if I moved forward to quickly. I was annoyed. What was I, a child? But I didn’t say anything. I wanted to be outside more than I wanted to put this idiot in his place. So I stopped resisting. This seemed to satisfy him because his grip on my hand loosened and his walk shifted.